Are You In Need Of A Different Path?

A conversation with a dear friend yesterday reminded me of the courage it takes to walk away from what you’re doing now in order to allow what’s meant to happen next to awaken and unfold.

Kevin (not his real name) realized six months ago that the banking career he loved for 30 years was no longer fun and was causing increasing levels of stress and physical issues he could not ignore. A conversation with his brother got him thinking about what mattered to him and what he wanted his legacy to be.

I’m not sure where he found the courage, but deep within something called to Kevin to take an inspired leap and leave his job at the end of June. He’s now taking time off to relax, reconnect with friends and family, and regain his health.

Walking away from a steady paycheck, even when you have enough in savings to handle it, is not an easy thing to do– especially when you have no idea what you’re walking towards. Sometimes a long vacation is all that’s needed. But, if like Kevin, you’ve taken those kind of vacations and still have lost your zest for work and witnessed your stress skyrocket, your soul could be calling you towards more.

Do you need to pause before deciding which direction to go in your life?

Are you being called to take a new road in your life’s journey? Consider taking time off to discern what’s right for you. Kevin knew he needed some serious down time and had the savings to leave his job to give himself that gift. If you can’t do that, can you create a series of pauses via weekend retreats, a day or more of solitude, sessions with a spiritual director, or meetings with a life coach?

Give yourself permission to rest and reflect on what you might be called to in the next phase of your life. The new path doesn’t have to be walked on immediately. Perhaps a pause…a rest is all that’s needed now.

Kevin experienced a profound gift in confirmation that he was on the right track. When he arrived home after his last day at work, Kevin’s neighbor and his neighbor’s brother were waiting for him with a few beers to celebrate. That led to the creation of a wonderful 4th of July gathering and many opportunities for storytelling and connections with this neighbor and his brother that week. Last Friday, at the end of the week, Kevin’s neighbor’s brother went in for some serious surgery. He didn’t come out of it and died at the age of 49.

Hearing this story brought tears to my eyes, as Kevin relayed what he received from this intense week and the support and friendship he is now able to offer his neighbor and his family during this time. We never know what will unfold when we take a big inspired leap. Often the gifts are more profound than we can even imagine.

What treasures await you from heeding the inner voice that’s calling you toward a time out or a new path? Take an inspired pause this summer to discern what’s next for you.